The University of Nebraska Omaha Child Care Center (UNOCCC) uses Creative Curriculum with an integrated curriculum philosophy that uses developmentally appropriate practices as the learning approach. This is established through our philosophy of the “whole child” concept.
Explore the links below for information about our curriculum:
Integrated Curriculum Approach
The administrators and lead teachers work closely together to select central ideas and related learning activities that are designed and taught through how children develop and learn. Through this approach, children make meaning of their learning experiences and form connections among the individual bits of information. Ideas and activities are developed in response to the children’s interest to keep them excited about learning. This integrates the teacher-parent, teacher-child, child-child, and teacher-teacher relationships.
The center staff assesses each child based on the following areas of development/goals: Creative Arts, Social & Emotional Development, Approaches to Learning, Health & Physical Development, Language & Literacy Development, Mathematics, and Science.
Our child development program is based on the assumption that a child’s growth is a sequential process and that children pass through predictable stages of development in all areas and within age ranges.
A team-teaching approach is practiced in each age group classroom. Together the professional staff plan overall program goals and objectives and curriculum units intended to meet the child’s individual needs We nurture, facilitate, and assess each child’s normal pattern of development in all functional areas, while respecting the individuality and particular potential of all children enrolled.
The teacher-planned curriculum and program design is balances between both structured and child-initiated opportunities for children to learn in a nonsexist, multi-cultural environment that is filled with age-appropriate equipment and learning materials. Some fixed learning interest areas in the classroom are dramatic play, blocks, small and large muscle, sensory-motor, science, pre-math, reading, early literacy, pre-writing, cooking, and nature.
Other types of balanced routine learning activities included in the program are one-to-one, small and large group, indoor, outdoor, quiet and noisy, field trips, and special events. “Creative Play” can provide pleasure and knowledge at the same time, and we foster such opportunities.
Curriculum goals and individual objectives include an environment rich with opportunities for children to:
- Explore the world around them using their natural curiosity
- To challenge their natural curiosity and extend it to offer additional problem-solving skills
- Develop social and emotional skills
- Develop fine motor and gross motor skills
- Foster work habits
- Enhance decision-making skills, self-reliance skills, and practical skills
- Foster listening skills and oral language development
- Develop pre-literacy skills – the foundation of reading and writing
- Develop pre-math, science, and social studies skills
- Foster appreciation of the creative arts – music, art, art history, and dramatic play
Assessments Upon Enrollment
Each child, upon enrollment into the program and when s/he transitions into the next age group, is given a pre-screening assessment.
The lead teacher then uses these assessments to develop a curriculum based on the needs of the individual child/group.
These assessment results are shared with parents at the time of the formal conferences and are kept in each child’s individual portfolio to refer back to and to be used to assess the growth and development of the child throughout the year, as well as when s/he transitions from one group to the next.
Bi-Annual Assessments & Conferences Curriculum goals and individual objectives are assessed formally twice a year and informally daily throughout the program. Assessments are done through teacher observation and interactions and documentation of development milestones for each individual child. This documentation is done using the Preschool Progress reports by Hayes Publishing Company and assessments developed individually for each area.
Assessments are handed out to parents in early November and late March/early April. At this time formal parent-teacher conferences are also offered for parents to meet with their child’s individual teacher and discuss their child’s progress. In-formal conferences can be set up at any time the teacher, parent, or administrator feels that is necessary to discuss the child’s progress.
Staff/Child Ratios and Group Sizes
The UNOCCC uses the staff/child ratios and group sizes that have been established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Academy.
We use the following for each group:
| Group Type | Staff/Child Ratio | Group Size |
|---|---|---|
| Toddler 1 | 1 staff: 4 children | 12 children |
| Toddler 2 | 1 staff: 6 children | 12 children |
| Transition | 1 staff: 8 children | 18 children |
| Pre School 1 | 1 staff: 10 children | 20 children |
| Pre School 2 | 1 staff: 10 children | 20 students |
| School Age | 1 staff: 12 children | 24 children |
When going on field trips or special events that require extra staffing, the child care center will ask for parent volunteers as well as provide extra staff during these events or activities.